Omega Web
by JayVitolo
Summary: Jarod and Parker are being stalked. Sequel to The Ouroboros Chronicles. Chapter 6 posted. FINISHED!
1. Confidence and Paranoia

The Omega Web written by JayVitolo  
  
Disclaimer: I didn't own the right before, I don't own them now and probably never will. Read The Ouroboros Chronicles before you go further. I will not be held responsible for any confusion. This contains dark subject matter. Read at your own risk.  
  
His latest pretend as a physical education teacher at Regelton Area High School of Perry, Pennsylvania is now finished. The next-door neighbor of Lucy Speeling has been arrested for sexual assault and will be serving a long prison sentence. He smiles at the thought. He doesn't have to be helping people anymore; he could live a normal life. But this is all he's known for the past seven years and as the days go by, he learns more about the life he missed.  
  
He walks into the secretary's office holding a letter in his left hand. "Excuse me Mrs. Gilmer, is principal Fulmer in?"  
  
The older secretary looks up and smiles at the man in front of her desk. "Why yes Mr. Fisher. He just came back for lunch and I'm sure he'd love to see the "students' favorite" teacher. I'll call you in."  
  
He smiles at the flattering comment as the secretary picks up her phone. "Jarod Fisher is here to see you. I'll send him right in."  
  
She looks up at Jarod and he gets the idea. She leads him to the door and it opens with principal Fulmer behind it. "Jarod, what can I do for you?"  
  
Jarod hands him the envelope and clears his throat. "I've been offered a teaching job at Oxford University."  
  
The principal looks at the letter and then back at Jarod. "Wow. You must've impressed some important people." He turns to his door and signs the letter. "Good luck to you. We'll miss ya."  
  
Jarod shakes the older man's hand and goes to leave but is stopped by Mrs. Gilmer. "Mr. Fisher. Before you leave, this got here this morning." She reaches under her desk and pulls out a brown box.  
  
Jarod picks it up and examines it, noticing the lack of return address and the handwritten shipping address. He sets it down on the chair behind him and rips the tape off the top. Carefully he opens the package and notices it's a collection of pictures of his various pretends. Everything from when he first escaped back in 1996 to now, scattered throughout the box. He notices a white paper under the picture of him in a navy uniform.  
  
He picks it up and reads it to himself. "I know all about you. You can't hide from me." He looks back at the box and sees a picture the pulls the color from his face. The picture is of he and Marie Parker eating at the Starbright Diner in Dover, Delaware. There is a date in the lower left hand corner, 3/12/2003, last week. He throws the picture back in the box, shuts it, and stares out the window of the office area.  
  
"Mr. Fisher. Mr. Fisher, are you alright?" He barely even hears the voice.  
  
He doesn't come back to reality until the secretary grabs his shoulder. "Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."  
  
Jarod looks around as the color comes back. "No ghost. It's just, just that my past came back." He looks at the closed box in front of him. "To haunt me."  
  
He's in his car now. He feels somewhat safe, aside from the nagging suspicion that he's being watched. He's hungry but doesn't want to stop. He can't stop. Who or whatever is following, stalking, him may be around the next corner. Tailing him. The worst part is, this person is a ghost. Jarod has no idea where he is, what he is doing, or why this is happening. But the ghost is methodical, Jarod gives him that much.  
  
He dials a familiar number on his cell phone. Maybe Marie knows what's going on.  
  
"What?" Jarod loves hearing that greeting.  
  
"Marie, I thought you said you guys stopped tracking me." He's a little distraught and his voice shows it.  
  
"What? We haven't even looked at the papers you sent us." She laughs. "Is all the silence getting to you?"  
  
"No, but somebody else might." Now he's panicking. If the Centre isn't following him, WHO is?  
  
"Did you piss somebody else off lately?"  
  
"Not to my knowledge." Jarod is no speeding down the road looking around him and in all his mirrors.  
  
"You didn't even know you pissed off Bartlet. Shit, is he out again?"  
  
"No. He's got life this time. He'll be lucky to get parole." That's one off the list.  
  
"Get your ass back here to Blue Cove. We'll set something up to help you out." Now its Parker's turn to panic.  
  
"I'm in Delaware as we speak. I'll be at your place in about 15 minutes." Jarod closes his phone before Parker can say anything else. Why would somebody track him for seven years and just now make a move?  
  
Marie Parker looks at Broots and Sydney with a sour expression. "Jarod has a stalker and he needs our help. Judging by his voice he seemed rather spooked. He's heading to my house now and I'm going to meet him there, you two will be called if anything is needed."  
  
Sydney chuckles to himself as Parker stares at him. "Private time for Parker and Jarod." He winks at Broots as the technician blushes.  
  
Parker gives Sydney an ice-cold glare but smiles. "You don't know the half of it boys." She winks as she walks out of the office.  
  
Jarod pulls into Parker's driveway about three seconds after she does, both leaving their cars at the same time. They share a quick embrace and an equally fast kiss before entering Parker's house. The door is shut behind them as Parker habitually walks into the kitchen for a scotch.  
  
"So fill me in on this Jarod." Ice can be heard striking glass.  
  
"It's pretty simple actually. I just finished a pretend and was given a brown box." He looks at his hands before continuing. "I opened it to discover it is basically a scrap book of the last 7 years of my life. Every pretend, everything I've ever done." He stops, wondering if he should mention the Diner picture.  
  
"There's more Jarod. I can tell by the way you ended. And it's not something you want to say." She returns with two cups of scotch, one for her and the other for Jarod. She knows he's not much of a drinker, hell he's seen her plastered out of her skull, but the man had a bad experience. Somebody is out for him and they won't stop until it's finished.  
  
Jarod looks at the cup that Parker is holding at him and takes it from her. He looks up to her ice blue eyes and smiles. "You know I hardly drink Marie. Yet every time you and I sit down you give me a glass. After a while this has to cost you a pretty penny."  
  
"You forget, I control the Centre now. If an accountant sees a lot of money is being spent on liquor, they tell me. Then I tell them to ice their hemorrhoids." She chuckles at the thought of the last accountant see said that to. "It's really one of life's little pleasures."  
  
Jarod is smiling, but it barely covers the mixed emotions inside of him. Miss Parker sees the torment in his eyes and pulls him close. "Don't worry. We're here for you. Don't be afraid to ask for help."  
  
Jarod pulls away and stands up causing Parker to look confused. Usually she's the one that does that, not Jarod. He must really be messed up.  
  
He turns to look out the bay window of Parker's living room. He inhales and exhales, sighing as he breathes. "That's not all. This guy has been following me with a passion. I could handle this if it was just me, but there was a picture of you in there too."  
  
Parker looks shocked and drops the glass. It's contents spill on the hardwood floor as her eyes are focused on Jarod. He turns back to her and looks hr in the eyes. "Last week when you and I were at the diner. He was almost against the window for that picture."  
  
Parker covers her mouth as she looks at the scotch seeping into her rug. She looks back at Jarod. "Maybe it was a telephoto lens." She hopes and prays.  
  
"No. This was a throw away camera." Jarod can see the panic rise in Parker's eyes. She really doesn't know how to handle this. Some creep invaded her privacy, he was literally right there. Jarod she could stand, that was a game, but this guy had no right.  
  
"Look, maybe if we go somewhere public this guy won't do anything." Jarod leans over Miss Parker and holds her hand.  
  
"I'll call for protection. The sweepers are getting tired of watching the Centre 24/7 and they will probably enjoy some outside company." She sees Jarod wince at the sweeper name. Poor guy. Running from sweepers is all he knows, not letting them protect him.  
  
"That is if it's okay with you." Parker sees Jarod relax at the concern she's expressing.  
  
"No, I have to learn to like those guys at some point. What better time than now?" An evil grin crosses Jarod lips as Parker smiles back, picking up her phone.  
  
In a couple of minutes the arrangements are set. The sweepers will change positions on the hour making as little noise as possible. One is staged on the roof and the others are scattered around the house. The alarm is set and everything is locked shut. Parker and Jarod eventually fall asleep, but not before glancing over everything one last time. Stories of their childhood relax them.  
  
Morning hits and the sweepers report nothing unusual happened last night. Jarod walks into the kitchen from the bathroom with a cryptic look on his face. "You call random notes left inside the house a usual occurrence?"  
  
Parker looks at him and the note he's holding. "What's it say?"  
  
Jarod reads the note aloud as if he's been studying it for hours. "Welcome to my parlor, said the spider to the fly." He then places the note in front of the sweepers. "Are you sure nothing happened last night? None of you fell asleep?"  
  
All of the sweepers shake their heads and exchange glances. Parker looks at all of them and then back at Jarod. "Where did you find this?"  
  
"On the bathroom mirror."  
  
Now Parker is really freaked out. Not only has this guy taken a picture of the dinner she and Jarod had, he's been in her house. He's been in her bathroom no less. "Okay this is getting bizarre. Are you guys positive you didn't see anything happen last night?"  
  
One of the sweepers answers her indirect comment. "Aside from you and Jarod." He stops when noticing the glare from Parker. "No ma'am. Nothing."  
  
"Okay, your services are no longer needed then. I'll see you guys tomorrow at the Centre." Parker looks at her cup of coffee causing the sweepers to leave, winking at Jarod as they pass by him.  
  
"So how do you think it happened?" Jarod sits across from Parker as he asks the burning question.  
  
"I honestly don't know. He bypassed the alarm somehow." Parker looks at Jarod and notices he doesn't look like he slept much. "I thought you passed out last night."  
  
He smiles at the comment. "After you did."  
  
She looks over Jarod's shoulder to see the red light of her answering machine is blinking. Curiosity wins her over as she walks over to it and hits the play button. The message that follows cuts through her like a cold knife.  
  
"Looks like you two had fun last night. Can I play too?"  
  
The cup of coffee falls out of her hands, as Jarod looks disgusted. He quickly runs over to Parker before she collapses on the floor. She looks him dead in the eyes. "He watch, he saw, us!"  
  
Jarod and Parker are wondering the exact same thing. Who the hell is this guy and what does he want? "We have to find this guy before." Jarod holds Parker close to him.  
  
The only thing she can do is finish his sentence between sobs. "He kills us."  
  
~ * TBC * ~  
  
Read and Rate. Usual drill. Response means the story will continue lack of interest and this gets dropped. Up to you all. 


	2. The Day of the Dead

Omega Web: El Dia de los Muertos written by JayVitolo  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own the rights, never will.  
  
Author's Notes: If you haven't already, read the Ouroboros Chronicles, since this fanfiction branches off of it. With that said, I feel the need to explain the absence of Jarod's family. I decided to focus on the relationship between Jarod, Miss Parker, and the Centre so if any of Jarod's family or Zoe appears, it will be in a minor role.  
  
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"Miss Parker doesn't look too good Sydney. She hasn't left her office since she came in." Broots looks up from his computer screen to stare at the psychiatrist.  
  
Sydney still hovers over the back of Broots. "I've noticed that too. She doesn't have the usual confident aura around her."  
  
Broots looks back to the computer screen while voicing a thought. "Something bad must've happened two days ago. I wonder what it was?"  
  
Back in Miss Parker's office, the phone rings. It's been ringing every ten minutes on the dot, but Parker has yet to pick it up. What if it's the stalker? Is she ready to deal with this mad man? What does he want?  
  
Against her better judgment, she picks up the phone. "Hello?"  
  
"You sound a little meek today Miss Parker. Or should I say Marie?"  
  
She slams the phone back into the cradle as a look of fear invades her face. Where is he? Why is he doing this? What did she ever do to deserve this torture? Without hesitation, she opens her cell pone and dials an old number. "Please be there."  
  
A tired response is heard as Jarod answers his phone. "Hello?" And then a yawn.  
  
"Payback's a bitch isn't it, Jarod?" Parker can't avoid the thought of finally waking him up instead of the roles begin reversed.  
  
"Marie, what's wrong?" The pretender's voice registers his concern.  
  
"He knows my number. He just called me."  
  
"Did you tell Broots or Sydney yet?"  
  
She looks at the door of her office, wondering what the tech and psychiatrist know. What would they do to help? "No."  
  
A sigh of frustration is heard. "I'll be there. Tel them before I show up, please?"  
  
"What am I supposed to say? Excuse me Sydney, but there is a freak watching everything Jarod and I do. And I mean everything." She sighs. "That's rather personal there, don't you think?"  
  
"Just say we're being stalked by somebody or something. Like I said, give me a few minutes an I'll be there to help you out."  
  
"But Jarod." The dial tone is the only thing talking to her now. She pulls her phone away from her ear and looks its fragile form. "Why do you always do that?"  
  
With a groan she exits her seat and prepares for the death march to the tech room, hoping Sydney and Broots are still there. Ever since Broots has been given full use of security, he never seems to leave. What project are those two working on now?  
  
Jarod hurries through the small apartment getting dressed while also searching for a jacket. Delaware can be brutal to somebody who is unprepared. Once he has everything that is needed, he opens the door to find a brown packet attached on the front.  
  
Turning back his the bed, he tears the top off and dumps the contents. Pictures and papers spill over the bed forming a patchwork of his life. He digs through noticing snap shots of him with his father and sister, pictures of Ethan, even pictures of his now deceased brother Kyle. The most disturbing part is half the shot of Kyle are of his autopsy.  
  
In disgust, Jarod throws the pictures back into the package and then notices the papers. Upon a closer examination he discovers they are Certificates of Death. There are four of them: Catherine Parker, Kyle, Dr. William Raines, and Faith Parker. He carefully places them back into the package and tucks it under his arm before leaving the hotel room. Jarod reaches into his pocket to pull out a roll of clear tape and turns back to his door. After tearing a piece of tape off the roll, he carefully places it on the door seam. Now if anybody enters, he'll know it.  
  
Carefully he gets into his car and drives towards the Centre, always checking the rearview mirrors for anybody following him. Who in the hell is this guy and where is he getting all of this stuff? It's like he knows everything about the past and his goal is to make sure Jarod and Parker realize this.  
  
Back in the tech room, Miss Parker walks in on Broots and Sydney as they continue to stare at the computer screen. "What are you two doing now?"  
  
Sydney looks up to see Parker standing in front of them with her arms crossed at the chest. He smiles as he realizes she finally left her office. "It's good to see you're still alive." He looks back at the screen. "Broots and I were just studying the brain patterns of a nine year old, who was subjected to a Horror movie."  
  
A beep is heard as a sense of fear is registered in the young boy's unconscious mind. The beep startles Miss Parker as she begins to look around. Broots what happened and looks at her with concern written on his face. "Are you okay Miss P? You seem a little jumpy."  
  
"I'm ok. But I need to talk with you two alone." She leans in closer to them as if she expects Mr. Raines to pop out of the shadows. "Any chance you boys could meet me in my office, now?"  
  
Broots and Sydney have a puzzled look on their faces. Sydney finally addresses the concern. "But Parker, anybody that could hurt us is dead. Why all the secrecy?"  
  
Sydney is answered by a grim expression before Parker stands back up and turns to leave. As she gets to the door, she looks over her left shoulder. "Evidently, not everybody Syd."  
  
The doors shut behind her as Broots turns the monitor off. "Now what did she mean by that?" They both walk through the tech room doors as Sydney barely manages a shrug.  
  
Miss Parker walks back into her office and notices a basket sitting in the middle of her desk; the contents seem to be overflowing. Grapes and apples are scattered while an envelope is tied to the top. Parker pulls the envelop off as she bits into one of the many red apples. She opens it to see a DSA where a card should be and curiosity gets the better of her. She places the disk into the player slot and turns it on.  
  
The screen flickers to life with a picture of her distraught mother, Catherine. She's holding a list of names, the children she would be taking from the Centre that night. Every name is crossed off but one, the name of Jarod. Catherine is talking to Sydney pleading him to help Jarod escape.  
  
"Sydney, please. He doesn't belong here, you know what they did to Timmy and what Raines is doing to his brother Kyle." Catherine sounds like she is begging for her life. "Who knows what will happen to Jarod if he is kept here."  
  
The Psychiatrist looks like he wants to help but he can't. "Catherine. I know he shouldn't be here. I know there are people looking for him. But if he escapes, there will be even more dangerous people looking for him. For his own safety he must remain here."  
  
"Why Sydney? Why can't you just turn your back and forget he ever came here?" Tears fall from Catherine's eyes.  
  
"Because I love him as a son." Sydney looks away from Catherine before glancing at the floor. "He's the closest I have to a son and I can't allow you to take him away from me."  
  
Catherine wipes a tear from his cheek. "Then make sure you watch over him. Let nothing bad ever come of this poor boy." She sighs before walking away. "But never let him know of his past, his name, or his family. It will only bring pain and mistrust."  
  
The screen shuts off, as Parker can't believe what she has seen. The apple falls from her hand and proceeds to bounce towards the door. Parker closes the case to see Sydney standing in the doorway with an expression of shame. Broots is next to him with an open mouth and wide eyes.  
  
"I never should have allowed Jarod the freedom he had, the questions he asked. Why could I not foresee the consequences the way Catherine had?" Sydney hangs his head in shame as he goes to leave.  
  
"Wait Sydney, what is Jarod's name?" Parker can't believe she just asked that question.  
  
Sydney is already in the hallway but answers before the door closes. "Greene."  
  
Jarod's car screeches to a halt in the Centre's garage and is quickly shut off. The car's door is open before it fully stops, but Jarod doesn't care. He quickly runs to the stairs and races up them towards the lobby. He bursts into Miss Parker's office to see Broots sitting on the sofa, staring at the wall across from him and Parker station behind her desk, staring at the DSA case.  
  
"Um, Marie. What did I miss?" Jarod's face is twisted in confusion.  
  
"A lot." The only words she can choke out. She spins the DSA player around so Jarod can see it and hits the play button.  
  
The same scene plays for Jarod, the exact same one that Parker has witnessed. In the end, Jarod is just as shocked. Sydney knew about his past, regarded him as a son, and denied Catherine from helping him escape. Sydney was the reason Jarod has been here for so long. But why?  
  
He looks across the desk at Miss Parker who lets out a sigh. "What did Catherine mean by Sydney can't let me know about my past, my name, or my family? What is he keeping from me?"  
  
"Your last name. And most likely your father." Parker can see the hurt is his eyes. Why did she answer his question? "Your last name is Greene. As in Sydney Greene."  
  
Jarod falls backward into a wall as his eyes dart around the office. "Sydney's my father? Then who is Major Charles?"  
  
In Sydney's office, he is looking at the Father's Day card Jarod made for him so long ago. He opens it to see the picture Jarod drew of them holding hands. The occurrence plays over and over in his mind. Jarod made this card because he saw Sydney as his father, but Sydney threw it away in front of him saying it was meant for somebody else. He kept asking himself why he kept the card. Why didn't he tell Jarod about his past, the connections that he and Jarod have.  
  
Now is better than ever. He picks up the phone sitting at the head of his desk and dials Jarod's number. No answer. Instead, Jarod walks into his office with a confused look. "What's going on Sydney? My last name is Greene. You need to explain something."  
  
Sydney looks up at the pretender leaning on his desk. "Yes I do. It's about your family and who you really are."  
  
"Continue."  
  
"I adopted you once you came into the Centre. I was informed that your parents died in a plane crash and you were brought here because you had nowhere else to be." Sydney slowly inhales and exhales as the words find his tongue. "I was informed by Catherine that your parents were still alive which happened a day before the DSA you saw. You have to understand Jarod. I kept you alive by keeping you in the dark about your family. The less you knew, the greater chance you would see the next day." He is now staring into Jarod's eyes.  
  
"So why didn't you tell me back in 1996 when I asked you?"  
  
"I wanted to find indisputable proof. I didn't want to tell you one thing and then have it be completely wrong."  
  
Jarod sighs as he looks at the Father's Day card. His face brightens as he picks it up and opens it. "You kept it. But I saw you throw it away."  
  
"Don't believe everything you see Jarod." Sydney's voice was full of emotion as he grinned at Jarod's happiness. "I had to throw it away so Raines didn't think we grew too attached and talked Mr. Parker into transferring you to his care."  
  
"You were always watching out for me Syd. Thank you." Jarod places the card back on Sydney's desk and looks at his mentor. "I have some more disturbing news from the stalker."  
  
"What stalker?" Jarod winces at the question realizing that Parker never told Sydney or Broots. He reaches into his jacket for the stalker's latest gift and places it in front of the elder psychiatrist.  
  
A look of pure confusion engulfs Sydney's face as he looks over the pictures and reads the papers. "My god, these are death certificates. Catherine, Raines, Faith and Kyle." After he sifts through the pictures he holds up the autopsy photo of Kyle. "How could somebody get their hands on these?"  
  
"That's what Parker and I must find out before it becomes to late." Jarod reaches into his pocket and pulls out a piece of paper, the note that was left in the box of pictures back in Pennsylvania. He shows it to Sydney.  
  
"This guy has been following me for the last seven years of my life. I haven't heard from this man until now." Jarod takes a deep breath before continuing. "And now Parker is being involve through our association."  
  
Sydney reads over the note ad looks back at Jarod. "I'll have Angelo look this over as soon as possible." A deep sigh exits Sydney. "Maybe he'll be able to shed some light for the both of you. In the mean time, get Broots to enhance Parker's security system. You might be safe together."  
  
Jarod smirks at what happened the last time he and Parker were in that house together. "Strength in numbers." He looks towards the door before looking back at Syd. "Just make sure Parker is okay. I can deal with this after the Alex incident, I just don't know if she can."  
  
He leaves as Sydney looks at the card on his desk, a sudden sigh leaving the man's body as the metal doors swing shut. "I just wish I could've been a better father to you Jarod. Taken better care of you."  
  
Marie Parker is pacing around her office twirling the DSA between her fingers. "How could anybody sneak into this place, steal a DSA, and then send it back here without us knowing?" She pauses expecting the shadows to answer her question, but continues after no answer is given. "Why would somebody go through all this trouble to sow animosity between Jarod and Sydney?"  
  
"Because Sydney does not deserve the love Jarod gives him." The answer catches Parker off guard as she spins towards her door. As she looks, she can't believe her eyes. The man standing in front of her is the one man she never thought she'd see again.  
  
The urge comes back as tears fill her eyes. "Daddy?" The word is hollow now it carries no significance anymore. Now it is just a nickname. "I thought you were dead. Why did it take you so long to come back here?" Everything becomes blurry.  
  
"You know the answers Angel. Look inside." Mr. Parker walks towards the woman he regarded as his daughter her whole life.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me I was adopted?" Tears are flowing down her cheeks now. The emotions keep building inside her.  
  
"You know the answers Angel. Look inside." Mr. Parker repeats the phrase. And just as fast as he appeared, he vanishes. Marie blinks a few times as the harsh reality comes back, the room returns to focus and Jarod is shaking her.  
  
"Marie, Marie! Are you okay?" He has a firm grasp on her shoulders as concern floods his face.  
  
"J, Jarod?" Reality hits her with a cruel backhand. She imagined the whole thing; her adopted father is really dead.  
  
"It's okay Marie. I'm here now." He holds her close as the built up emotions finally break her seal. Tears stream down her face as memories and insecurities come back and overflow. "We will stop this. I promise you, we will end this torment."  
  
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TBC. Read and Rate 


	3. Requiem of the Flame

Omega Web: Requiem of the Flame by JayVitolo  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights. Please don't sue me; I'm a poor college student.  
  
The fire in the building before her lights the nighttime air in shades of red and orange. All Marie Parker can see is a shadowy figure leaving a building. Before she can register who this figure is, the unthinkable happens. The building explodes in a fireball, scattering glass, chunks of burning wood, and other miscellaneous debris throughout the air. A red notebook falls at her feet and she quickly puts the flames out that threaten to engulf it. She picks it up as wear tears flow down her cheeks as she flips through it. She never saw or heard the gun, not until it was too late. The notebooks pages are now a collage of written words and red blood, and then it falls.  
  
With tears in her eyes, she jerks awake. Looking around the room, she checks her body making sure this is reality. A quick glance at the clock next to her shows it to be 2:15 in the morning. She glances next to her and sees Jarod asleep, but she wakes him to make sure.  
  
Marie begins to slowly push his shoulder until she gets his attention. "Jarod. Jarod."  
  
An audible sigh is heard as Jarod rolls over to look at her. "What?"  
  
She quickly grabs him in an embrace. "Jarod! You're still alive." She kisses him on the forehead. "I love you."  
  
Confusion is evident in the pretender's voice as he looks at the tears in her eyes. "Of course I'm alive Marie. I went to sleep alive and I intend to wake up alive." He wipes a tear from her cheek and replaces it with a kiss. "Don't worry about us."  
  
Jarod turns away and quietly drifts back to sleep as Marie silently stares at the ceiling. She can't help but replay her dream as it loops in her mind's eye. What does it mean? Will it come true? With a heavy sigh, she slips back into her slumber.  
  
The building melts back into her eyes, but this time it's different. She sees Jarod walk into the structure while telling her to stay back, that he'll take care of this. She sees Jarod open the door, sees him talking to somebody in the window, and then sees somebody get shot. The room is then set on fire to hide the body, then the explosion. The same familiar red notebook falls at her feet, but this time she doesn't pick it up. Now she's looking around and notices a man pointing a gun at her, then everything goes black.  
  
But then she starts to shake. It's cold, everything is cold. Somebody is yelling at her. She hears her name but is unable to answer. The voice gets louder and more frantic as the shaking follows in suit. Her eyes finally open to see Jarod beside her, his eyes are wide and his motions are frantic. All she can do is grab him by the neck and pull him into an embrace.  
  
She starts to sob. "Jarod!"  
  
"Don't do that to me again Marie." Concern is in Jarod's voice as he continues. "I just got out of the shower and saw you lying there. I started to call your name, but you never answered."  
  
She looks him in the eyes. "I'm sorry. But I dreamed you died again." She sighs while wiping tears from her cheek. "I saw his face this time. It was etched with anger." She quickly grabs him in a hug again. "Like he wanted to do this."  
  
The phone begins to ring, causing Miss Parker to pull Jarod closer out of fear. The stalker is having his desired effect on Marie, she's scared senseless. Jarod slowly picks the phone up while holding Marie in his arms.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Sydney's voice booms on the other end. "You and Parker should get here as soon as possible. Angelo may have a lead."  
  
Jarod nods and places the phone back into the cradle without a word and helps Marie to her feet. "Get dressed. Sydney thinks Angelo knows what's happening."  
  
"Okay. Promise me you won't let anything happen."  
  
"I promise, Marie. I will always be here for you, just like in the past." He kisses her forehead. "And always in the future. Now get dressed, I'll wait for you downstairs."  
  
Jarod leaves the room and slowly pulls the door closed behind him as drawers can be heard opening and closing. Marie looks into the mirror that is sitting on her dresser and sees her face, but it slowly dissolves into the face of an unknown man. This man's eyes are cold as steel but unequally calculating. All Marie can do is wonder who this man is and what significance does he hold?  
  
Down in the living room of Parker's house, Jarod decides to get the mail for her since she most likely would not venture outside today. As he gets to the mailbox, he gets an overwhelming sense of somebody watching him. After he looks around, he opens the mailbox to retrieve the three letters and bring them into the house.  
  
He makes it to the door before his cell phone rings. Jarod sighs before answering the call. "Hello?"  
  
The voice on the other end speaks fast but clearly. "You want answers to the questions. Meet me at the old glass plant in Chester County, Pennsylvania."  
  
"Wait. Who are you?"  
  
The dial-tone answers Jarod's question as Miss Parker opens the front door. She looks at him with a puzzled expression and notices the mail in his hands. "Who was that?"  
  
Jarod meets her gaze with a smile. "An answer."  
  
At the Centre, Angelo hovers over the pictures of Jarod and Parker. He grabs the one that shows the two of them in the Starbright Diner and narrows his focus.  
  
"Anger. Hate. Betrayal." Angelo falls to the floor staring at the picture. He can't take his eyes off it.  
  
Sydney kneels next to the man and pulls a piece of paper out of his pockets. He shows it to Angelo before speaking with him.  
  
"Angelo. This note came with that picture. Can you tell us who sent it?"  
  
Angelo looks up at the note and grabs it from Jarod's hands. As soon as Angelo touches it, his whole body shudders under the flood of emotions. He starts to crumble the note into a ball and tries it rip it in half.  
  
"Hates happiness. Hates life." Angelo looks back at the picture and slides it to Sydney. "Hates joy."  
  
"Why Angelo? Why does this man hate so much?"  
  
Angelo grabs Sydney's sit coat and pulls him close. "Rage. Lust. Control." He grabs the pen from Sydney's breast pocket and grabs the picture from the floor. He begins to carve circles around Miss Parker. "Wants Miss Parker."  
  
The stalker paces in front of his desk in the darkened room. He still has the phone in his hands from when he called Jarod, this time he didn't bother with the cryptic remarks. Straight and to the point. He slowly looks at the wall next to his computer desk; pictures of Jarod and Miss Parker are taped in a collage. He pulls one off the center and looks at it, circling the Marie Parker's face with his index finger. Soon she'll be his, he knows it. After he gets rid of Jarod, the cancer to their relationship, Parker will be all his.  
  
He sits in his desk chair and drops the picture into the middle of a large pad of paper. A letter opener is pulled out of the drawer and quickly slashed along the picture, crossing Jarod's face out. He leans back in his chair as the picture is brought to his face. Slowly he kisses it as he sighs in pleasure.  
  
"You'll love me until death does us part, Marie." A soft symphony can be heard playing in the background. "From now until the end of time."  
  
Jarod and Miss Parker open the doors to Sydney's office to see the psychiatrist and Angelo hovering over a flood of pictures and papers. Angelo begins to scan the handwriting of the stalker as Sydney looks at the two people that just walked in. With a sigh, he stands and adjusts his shirt collar.  
  
"You said Angelo found something." Marie walks over to Angelo and kneels next to him. She places his hand on Angelo's back, causing the man to jump.  
  
Angelo looks at her with a sympathetic stare before trying to speak. He finally musters the courage. "Wants Miss Parker."  
  
Sydney looks at Parker and clears his throat. "Angelo believes our stalker desires you Parker. Evidently he sees Jarod as an obstacle." Marie is still looking at Angelo as the information from Sydney slowly sinks in.  
  
Jarod nudges the psychiatrist in the shoulder to get his attention. When Sydney turns his attention, Jarod slowly whispers in his ear. "Can we talk in private for a minute?"  
  
Sydney nods his head as the two men turn to walk out the door unaware that Miss Parker sees them. She watches as they leave the room and decides to slowly sneak to the door to listen to this private dialog. She slowly opens the door but never expected what she heard.  
  
"Sydney, he called me again."  
  
"What did he want?"  
  
"He wants me to meet him in an abandoned glass plant in Chester County, Pennsylvania." He looks Sydney in the eyes before continuing. "He is offering me answers and I have to take him up on it."  
  
"So you are going to meet him?"  
  
"I have to. This may be the only chance Marie and I have to stop that lunatic." Sydney nods his head as the thought slips in.  
  
"But what about Parker?"  
  
That never crossed Jarod's mind. He was so determined to go there and finish this man off, he never thought about her. "You can't let her know. Sydney, I don't know if I'll be walking away from this one."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Jarod sighs as he rubs his forehead. "I mean I may be able to beat this guy. I have a feeling he is going to try something, but I don't know what. I've run the scenario in my mind constantly and every time something changes. A wild card."  
  
Jarod shakes his head trying to remove the negative thoughts as Sydney puts an arm around him. "Miss Parker." A grin slowly appears on his face as he recognizes Parker's spirit. "Jarod. I've told you from day one, trust your heart and your mind. If you have doubts, you must isolate the causes."  
  
Jarod's gaze falls to the floor before he speaks again. "That's why Marie can't know what I'm doing. I don't want her to be there when this happens. One way or another, the stalking will stop."  
  
He looks back at his mentor and locks his gaze onto Sydney's eyes. For the first time in years, Sydney is able to see genuine anger and torment inside Jarod. He's only had this look a few times before. The words that follow the gaze send a chill down Sydney's spine, as he never expected them.  
  
"Even if I have to die in the process." Jarod scares himself with those words and for a second time seems to stop.  
  
Marie slips back into Sydney's office and falls against the wall. Jarod's words were so cold and filled with anger. She never heard him like that before. Sure, she heard him mad before but he was never that filled with animosity towards another human. The same thought flooded Marie's head, constantly. What is he going to do?  
  
"No." She gasps as the dream replays in her head.  
  
The intense fire from the building, it must be the glass plant Jarod is meeting the stalker at. The person who shot her must be the stalker, but Angelo said the stalker wanted her. Why would he shoot her if he wanted her so badly? Then it hits. Jarod is going to die. She has foreseen his death. A tear slowly makes its path down her cheek.  
  
"Not you too." She quietly begins to sob into her hands, unaware that Jarod and Sydney have returned to the room.  
  
"Are you okay Parker?" Sydney looks at her with a concerned expression.  
  
She slowly looks at the two men standing in front of her as Jarod cups her knee. She wipes the tears from her face as she draws a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just remembering Tommy."  
  
Jarod knows she is lying, but he's not in the mood to argue. He has to be ready for everything that will happen tonight, he has to make sure nothing will go wrong. "It's okay to remember loved ones Marie. Everybody must die, it's the cycle of life."  
  
Jarod's last comment stabs her in the heart, but she can't show it. Jarod has no idea that she saw his death in her dreams, and it happens tonight. Once again, she'll lose a loved one. Only this time it isn't due to the Centre, but some outside catalyst.  
  
She looks him in the eyes. "I guess so." Her words were cold, but somehow they made her feel safe. The Ice Queen is breaking at the surface, maybe its time to let her take over again. How much pain can a single woman take?  
  
A knock is heard at the office doors as Broots sticks his head into the room. "Um, Sydney? I have the results you asked for." Sydney quickly looks over to Broots and grabs the piece of paper from him. Broots retreats back into the hallway as the older man thanks him.  
  
Jarod looks over his shoulder before speaking. "What's that Syd?"  
  
"A handwriting analysis." He looks down to the paper in his hands and slowly glances over it. "I had Broots run a scan for people with handwriting that matched the stalker's."  
  
Through a sigh Marie speaks. "What's the result?"  
  
A smile creeps onto Sydney's face. "It appears our friend has a name."  
  
"Well?" Anger is slowly building in Miss Parker. She wants to know who this man is, that way she knows who to kill.  
  
"His name is Daniel St. Brolier." He looks up from the paper with a shocked expression on his face. "A disavowed Federal Agent."  
  
TBC. Read and Rate. 


	4. Trial of Honor

Omega Web: Trial of Honor by JayVitolo  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own them. Please don't sue, I'm poor.  
  
Notes: This has been half a month in the making. Simply put, Writing 2 has burned me out of writing in general. Sorry for how long it has taken. Now that I have a few ideas, the next chapter should come rather quickly. Keep reading my stories and rating them, that's all I can ask.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"His name is Daniel St. Brolier." He looks up from the paper with a shocked expression on his face. "A disavowed Federal Agent."  
  
The name sends a chill down Jarod's spine as he stares at the wall across from him. He's lost in thought, unaware to the change of mood around him. Unaware of the woman now standing before him waving her hand. Unaware of the elder man standing before him calling his name. Unaware of the drying sensation in his throat. Aware only of his past and the name Daniel St. Brolier. He slowly comes back to reality and the world he resides in.  
  
"Jarod, are you okay?" Marie Parker is snapping hr fingers in front of his eyes. She still receives no response. She looks over Jarod's shoulder at Sydney who is still trying to get his attention.  
  
"Jarod?" Sydney's started poking Jarod in the shoulder blades, but still receives no response.  
  
Without a second thought, Parker slaps Jarod across the face. The sudden hit brings Jarod back. His cheek is red at the point of impact and Parker's ring has put a small cut in Jarod's flesh. Instinctively he rubs the bruised skin, but sees the blood after pulling his hand away.  
  
He looks Parker in the eyes before speaking. "It's usually a better idea to just nudge somebody."  
  
"I did. You didn't answer." She smiles before starting to wipe the blood from the small cut.  
  
"What were you thinking of Jarod?" Sydney quickly cuts to the subject.  
  
"Nothing really. Just remembering simpler times." Jarod lies, knowing that Sydney and Parker will figure it out.  
  
"I know you're a genius Jarod, so trying to fabricate a better lie than that." The Ice Queen takes a shot, Parker didn't even know what she said until the look on Sydney's face hit her.  
  
"Yes." Sydney continues to stare at Marie Parker but continues to speak to Jarod. "You seemed to lose focus when I mentioned the stalker's name."  
  
"Fill us in Jarod." Parker pulls Jarod into a seat beside her and stares him in the eyes. "What is the connection between you two?"  
  
Jarod slowly loses focus as he remembers the man. "I met him during my first pretend. I was working as an undercover FBI Agent with Daniel on a narcotics sting."  
  
"Wait, I thought you worked on the oil rig when you first got out." Parker quickly interrupts drawing Jarod's attention.  
  
"You think I left clues during EVERY pretend I did? I already had done half a dozen by the time you guys discovered that one." Jarod almost sounds offended at the assumption. "Now can I continue?"  
  
He looks at Sydney and then towards Parker. They offer no resistance and he continues. "Thank you. Now, I joined the ranks because I read about an assassination contract taken out on Daniel's wife. I went in to discover the truth, but found out that Daniel had a few more skeletons in his closet."  
  
Jarod slowly inhales and then exhales before continuing. Remembering this whole episode is bringing pain Jarod would like to forget. "It turns out he was accepting bribes from the dealers of the drugs to look the other way, so to speak. The contract was taken out on his wife because she found out about the deals. She decided the best way to handle the situation was though letters to Daniel's superiors, but he got them instead."  
  
Parker is visibly upset at Daniel's character. How could a man treat a wife this way? All she wanted to do was help him, even if that meant losing him.  
  
"I was able to stop the bribes Daniel kept receiving, but I could prevent his wife's murder. I did manage to get Daniel removed from the force, but he never received jail time. There wasn't enough evidence to convict him of any crimes, so he disappeared. The police found a body that was identified as Daniel and his case was closed."  
  
Sydney looks at the folder in his hands. "Evidently the body was not Daniel."  
  
"Yeah. Evidently." Jarod sighs as he looks at the floor.  
  
"That's in the past Jarod. You can't blame yourself for what happened." Parker wraps an arm around Jarod and places her head on his shoulder.  
  
"Yes I can and I often do." Jarod keeps looking at the floor and sighs heavily. "If I would've gone after Daniel's wife first, she'd still be alive. That is innocent blood on my hands, I allowed her to die."  
  
He looks up at Marie sitting next to him. "I blame myself and so does Daniel, and now he wants to hurt you, the closest one to me. I have to meet him tonight to end this."  
  
Parker starts to speak but Jarod covers her mouth. "You have to stay away. I don't know what he'll do if you're seen."  
  
Jarod quietly stands and heads for the door. He grabs the cold metal handle; the chills recede down his spine as he looks at his reflection in the glass. How appropriate the face looking back is transparent, just like how he feels now. An error of the past came back to haunt him, it's time to finish this before anybody else gets hurt.  
  
He slowly pulls the door open before sighing and looking back. "I've got to finish this before any of you get hurt." He looks at the hallway in front of him. "Alone." He turns to walk down the hallway as the door closes behind him with a hush. Jarod doesn't care what Marie is thinking; this is for her own good. Unfortunately, she'll be there one way or another.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Jarod is sitting in his car at a red light when his phone starts to ring. The beeping breaks the calm night air, catching the pretender off guard. He reaches into his coat pocket to retrieve the ringing phone and flips it open without checking the number. It's at his ear as he breathes deeply.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Where are you Jarod? It's not nice to keep people waiting." The voice on the other end has a taunting tone to it as the man continues. "Please tell me the 'Great Pretender' didn't chicken out. Did you bring your spitfire with you? I've been dieing to meet her."  
  
"Listen Daniel. I know what this is about."  
  
"Do you now?" A slight chuckle can be heard on the other line. Daniel responds with a sharper tone. "You have no idea my old friend."  
  
"You're still mad at me about your wife."  
  
"I was wrong. You do know what this is about. However, did you know I have ever intention of taking your precious Marie?"  
  
Jarod's fingers dig into the steering wheel as the last words reverberate though his mind. "You so much as touch her, Daniel, and I will send you to whatever god you wish."  
  
"Now, now Jarod. Is that anyway to talk to an old partner?"  
  
"Only if it's you Daniel."  
  
"You have one hour. You show up, we talk. You don't, I hunt Marie down like the dog she is."  
  
The dial tone flows into Jarod's ears as he stares at the green light. Without blinking, the cellphone is thrown from the car as the engine starts to growl. Jarod puts the car into gear as the phone hits the ground, and he is gone.  
  
Jarod's black Mustang slides to a stop in the gravel parking lot of the Chester County Glass Mill. He quickly gets out and enters the darkened building, walking to the center with a purpose. He quickly looks around and notices the inside has been gutted, the lights hand from the ceiling on long wires and the equipment is no longer inside.  
  
The lights quickly switch on causing a temporary blindness to overcome Jarod, but it quickly passes allowing him to see a room about ten feet from the floor. This room is separated from the main building by a balcony that leads to a room with marbleized glass windows. These windows slowly turn back as a dark figure walks up to them.  
  
"Hello Jarod."  
  
The lights switch off as Jarod continues to look at the figure above him. They quickly switch back on causing Jarod to wince from the brightness.  
  
"Daniel." Jarod's voice is cold with no detectible emotion.  
  
"Come on, cheer up." Daniel leans against the windows. "I brought you a present, made it myself. It's on the table in front of you."  
  
Jarod's eyes fall on the old wooden table before him. He slowly walks up to the black box and carefully lifts the lid off. He reaches inside and pulls out a noose, a smirk crosses his face as he holds it up to Daniel.  
  
"I supposed this is to mean I deserve the death penalty." Jarod shakes the noose while looking at Daniel's shadow.  
  
"No. It's the noose you made for yourself all those years ago, when you killed my wife." Daniel walks away from the window and through the door of the small room. He is now standing ten feet above Jarod and looks at him from the balcony.  
  
Jarod drops the noose on the floor without removing his eyes from Daniel. "Get this through your head. You are the one that called for her death."  
  
Daniel starts to walk down the stairs but stops halfway at Jarod's comment. He spins the face Jarod and grabs the handrail. "You were the one that didn't watch her. You brought her in to convince me to stop. You were the one that put her in harms way."  
  
He finishes walking down the stairs and stands in front of Jarod. "You were the one that was so obsessed with bringing me down. You were the one that neglected her."  
  
Jarod grabs Daniels shirt and pulls him close. "You forgot something." Jarod's face is full of anger and his voice is full of rage.  
  
A smile crosses Daniel's face as he realizes he got under Jarod's skin. This is a small personal victory. "What's that?"  
  
"I'm also the one that got you removed from the FBI."  
  
Daniel's smile fades at the comment. Jarod's right. "I suppose I should thank you. Because of you, I've had so much free time to find a new wife." Daniel removes a picture of Miss Parker from his back pocket. He shows it to Jarod as the smirk returns.  
  
"Your Marie Parker." The grin of Daniel's face finally breaks Jarod, he lashes out.  
  
Jarod can't take it anymore and hits Daniel with a right to the jaw causing the other man to stumble backwards. Jarod grabs him by the shirt and pulls him to his feet before connecting with a second shot. Then things take a turn for the worst. Daniel was counting on this outpour of Jarod's emotions, and then he strikes. Jarod never saw the Tranquilizer in Daniel's hands, at least not until it was too late.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Marie Parker has been watching the exchange from outside the glass plant and listening with a hearing piece. She wanted to run in there to help Jarod out, but she forced herself to stay here. Jarod told her to stay and she would, even though it was eating her from the inside. The conversation made her want to help Jarod even more, but then the fighting started.  
  
Then it was the scene from her dream. One of the men fell over and the other left. As if on queue, the fire started followed by the explosion. This time, no red book fell. In its place was a piece newspaper, detailing the trial of Daniel St. Brolier. Out of instinct, she turned around to see the man standing behind her. It all happened so fast, he hit her with the gun in his hand and everything went black. The last sound she heard was the fire.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Jarod."  
  
No answer.  
  
"Jarod. It's time to wake up, sunshine."  
  
Still no answer.  
  
"The hell with this."  
  
Jarod jerks awake as a cold bucket of water hits him in the face. He looks around, taking in the room he is sitting in. It's a dark room, used for developing photos. Pictures of Miss Parker line the walls. The bins to develop the photos are stored on the table beside him and the red light is turned on. Everything he sees has a red outline, even the man standing in front of him. Jarod tries to move but realizes he is duct taped to the chair.  
  
"Welcome back to reality." The man starts to walk over to him carrying an object. The block is set before Jarod and the man switches the lights back on.  
  
"I thought I was rid of you Brolier." Jarod's eyes take their time adjusting to the white light. Eventually the sharp pain subsides and Jarod can see clearly.  
  
"You can only wish." Daniel pulls the top off the box and starts to remove the contents. Before anything is pulled out, he looks at Jarod with a grin. "So how do you wish to be tortured today?"  
  
"You mean I have a choice?" The sarcasm flows from Jarod's mouth like venom from a snake.  
  
"Not really. But this is a democracy isn't it?"  
  
Jarod smiles a false grin as he tries to pull his hands up from the chair.  
  
"Don't waste your time. You aren't going anywhere." Daniel sits on the table with the box beside him. He starts to place the 'instruments' on the table while talking with Jarod.  
  
"Let's see. I could break your fingers with this hammer, stick acupuncture needles in you, give you paper cuts in the webbings of your fingers." Daniel trails off as he reaches the last item. "Or do my personal favorite, its one I know you enjoy, electro-shock therapy."  
  
Jarod grimaces at the last one.  
  
"That's the one. Electro-shock it is. Good choice." He puts the other tools back in the box but leaves the battery sitting before Jarod. "Of course it all depends on Marie. You could say she holds your life in her hands."  
  
Daniels looks at his watch before leaving the room. "She should be waking up right now. I'll see you soon, partner." He winks before closing the door behind him.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Miss Parker awakens on a bed in a ruby red room. She looks around the room to see there are no pictures and no windows. The only way into and out of the room is the wooden door in the corner. Parker gets to her feet, but notices she is no longer wearing the clothes she had last night. Instead, she is wearing a pair of silk pajamas. Without a second thought, she reaches for the door. The door opens before she reaches it, catching her off guard.  
  
"Marie, you're awake!"  
  
"Wha, how do you know my name?" Parker's face is full of confusion.  
  
"I know all about you."  
  
A dim bulb brightens in Parker's head. "You're Daniel."  
  
The man smiles as he runs his hand through her hair. "Correct."  
  
She knocks his hand away and glares at him. All Daniel does is smile back as he grabs a hand full of her hair. He pulls her hair, causing her to grimace in pain. Out of instinct, she spins on her feet and takes a swing at Daniel. He ducks the shot and strikes back with a backhand to her face, causing her to fall to the bed.  
  
He kneels next to Parker as she rubs her cheek. "Now, I wouldn't want to spoil that pretty face."  
  
She lies on the bed staring at the man that hit her. "You're lucky I don't kill you now."  
  
"Oh, I like spunk. Now I see why Jarod likes you so much." He grins at the look of distain on her face. He stands and looks down at her before continuing. "I have a present for you."  
  
"I don't want anything from you." Her defiance comes in the form of the 'Ice Queen'.  
  
"I'm sure you'll want this present." He leans in to look her in the eyes. "Now do I have to make you come?"  
  
Without saying a word, Parker punches Daniel. The shot splits his lip causing blood to flow, but hardly phases him. Instead of trying to stop the bleeding, he simply licks the blood as it coats his teeth.  
  
Daniel grins even as the blood starts to pass down his chin. "Clearly I do." He shrugs his shoulders. "Have it your way."  
  
He returns the punch to Miss Parker, dazing her, and pulls her off the bed by the hair. Without letting go over her hair, he forces her through the door and into the adjacent room. Once they are inside, he spins around to face her and plants a kiss where the punch hit. He pulls away only to receive a slap to the cheek, but he still smiles.  
  
"So who wears the pants in your relationship with Jarod?"  
  
"None of your concern." Parker's response is cold as ice. The words seep through clenched teeth as she plots Daniel's demise.  
  
"Maybe not mine." Daniel steps to the side to show Parker that Jarod is sitting in the room as well. "But definitely his."  
  
Parker's jaw nearly hits the floor as she sees Jarod again. His hands are taped together and his shirt has been removed. His chest and stomach are covered with welts, cuts and burn marks, but he doesn't seem phased. "Jarod! You're alive!"  
  
Jarod looks up to Marie standing in the front of the room. He barely cracks a smile as she attempts to get to him. Daniel stops her before she can go anywhere.  
  
"Not so fast Marie. It's time to play a little game I like to call 'Truth or Consequence'." Daniel grins as she stares a hole through him. He looks down at the table and runs his hand over the tools.  
  
"It's really simple." Daniel walks around the table to where Jarod is sitting. He picks up the two cables attached to the battery and touches them together, causing sparks to fill the air.  
  
"I ask you a question, you give me an answer. If the answer is the truth, Jarod is okay. But if the answer is false, Jarod gets to play with my toys." Daniel's grin grows as he sees Parker is getting worried.  
  
Daniel pulls Jarod to his feet and attaches his arms to a hook that is hanging from the ceiling. "The game begins now."  
  
"Why are you doing this?"  
  
"Because Jarod took away the only thing that made me happy." Daniel throws the cables onto the table and punches Jarod across the jaw. He turns back to Parker.  
  
"No!" Parker cries out as Daniel hits Jarod. Daniel loves the emotion he feels in the room, from both the aching Jarod and his lover Marie Parker.  
  
"Who is your father?"  
  
"Mr. William Raines." Tears start to form in Marie's eyes. She can't watch this torture; there must be something she can do.  
  
"Wrong answer." Daniel punches Jarod in the stomach causing him to groan in pain. "Shall we try this again?" Daniel grabs a whip that was sitting on the table. "Who is your father?"  
  
She winches at the punch but manages to speak. "Ben Harper."  
  
"Correct." Daniel wraps the whip around his wrist before speaking the next question. "Do you love Jarod?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Wrong answer!" Daniel slaps the whip across the small of Jarod's back causing him to yell out in pain. The tears are now flowing down Parker's cheeks. Even through the blurry vision, she thinks Jarod is smiling at that answer.  
  
"Let's try that one again. Do you love Jarod?"  
  
Parker lowers her head to avoid Jarod's eyes. "No." The response has a submissive tone to it, as if she is about to give up.  
  
"Good answer." Daniel puts the whip down and grabs the two battery cables. "Now for the tough one."  
  
Daniel walks up to her and rubs the cables together, sending in the air before her face. She pulls her head away to avoid the sparks getting in her eyes, but she secretly wants to shove them down his throat. She looks back when Daniel finally walks back to Jarod.  
  
"Here is the question." He looks at Jarod and then glances towards Parker. "Do you love me?"  
  
Marie is surprised at the question; she is truly caught off guard by it. "I, I, I."  
  
"Come on, it's not that hard."  
  
Jarod looks at her and cracks a smile. "Answer him Marie."  
  
"Shut up." Daniel punches Jarod in the kidney causing the pretender to grimace in pain. Daniel then looks at Miss Parker. "Well?"  
  
"What the hell kind of . . ." Parker trails off as she hears sirens.  
  
Daniel hears the too. They cause enough of a distraction for Jarod to kick him, knocking the man over. Parker follows suit and kicks the fallen man in the chest, causing him to roll over in pain. She helps Jarod down and they both start to leave as Daniel manages to pull a gun out of his pants. Jarod and Parker make it to the door leading outside before the gun goes off. Jarod falls forward as the bullet lodges itself in his back. Parker instinctively reaches for her gun as she spins, but realizes she no longer has it as she hits the ground. She sees Jarod lying on the ground next to her and rushes over to him as the police make their way into the building.  
  
"Jarod!" She starts to shake him. Tears start to form in her eyes.  
  
"God no." She rolls him over to see the lifeless expression on his face. She can't lose him, not now.  
  
"Jarod, please." Parker throws her body over him as the tears fall. "Don't die. I need you."  
  
She looks up to his face and cries, kneeling next to him. "Please don't die. Come back."  
  
The police are now standing around her and Jarod. The chief starts to bark orders at the other officers. "Get a damn ambulance, NOW!"  
  
"Don't leave me Jarod. Please, come back." She grabs his shoulders and leans over him crying. "Don't leave me."  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
After a few hours pass, the ambulance crew finally loads Jarod onto the stretcher and into the awaiting ambulance. The ambulance drives off just after Sydney and Broots arrive at the scene. Marie Parker sits alone on the hood of a police car, wrapped in a blanket and holding a tissue.  
  
"Parker? Parker!" Sydney rushes to her but slows down at the sight. He's never seen her crying like this before.  
  
"What happened?" Broots stands beside Sydney, reaches for Miss Parker, but is stopped by Sydney. The older man just holds Broots' arm and shakes his head, a frown is visible on Sydney's face.  
  
Parker looks up from the hood and wipes a tear from her eye. She inhales and slowly exhales before speaking. "Jarod was shot."  
  
"Is it bad?" Broots can't help himself, he needs to know.  
  
"He wouldn't respond to anything the ambulance crew did." She looks at the spot where Jarod fell. "It's like he was never there."  
  
"Is he in a coma?" Sydney jumps right to the point. Marie visibly winces at the word 'coma', but maybe that's what it is.  
  
"I don't know. They just rushed him off, like, two minutes ago. Never said anything." She wipes her nose as the tears start to form again. "Just into the car and then off."  
  
She starts crying again. "Not even a word." She can't get the image of the defenseless Jarod out of her mind. He just lay there next to her, never answered her. He was barely even breathing.  
  
"Did they say which hospital?" Sydney asks Miss Parker as he and Broots sit next to her.  
  
"Holy Mercy Medical. But I can't see him until tomorrow."  
  
Broots takes a deep breath before asking the next question. "What about Daniel St. Broiler?"  
  
Sydney looks across to the man that must have a death wish. His face is etched with distain as Broots looks to the ground in front of him. Parker never takes her eyes of the dirt or even draws a breath. She just quietly sobs before speaking again.  
  
"The cops didn't find him." She puts her head in her arms. "He got away."  
  
She continues to sob as Sydney pulls her close. He runs his hands through her hair as he looks at Broots. "And now Jarod is on his death bed."  
  
******~~~~~~~TBC. ~~~~~~~****** Read and Rate 


	5. Riddle of the Flesh

Omega Web: Riddle of the Flesh by JayVitolo  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the rights, just borrowing the characters.  
  
Notes: Sorry for the dramatic cliffhanger of the last chapter, I really didn't mean that chapter to end that way. I was going to write more, but after reading the ending, I decided it would ruin the picture. It was a tough decision, but I decided to end with the depressing note instead of a cheerful ending, since the last paragraphs dealt with Jarod being tortured. Anyway, have fun with this chapter.  
  
Additional: I want to thank the creators of Profiler. The character of Daniel St. Brolier is VERY loosely based on the Profiler character "Jack of all Trades." Without this "psycho-stalker", I would have never had a basis for Daniel. Once again, thank you. Even thought he chances are extremely small the creators are reading this . . .  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The haunting image of Jarod's lifeless face refuses to leave Miss Parker's mind. The calm expression showed he was at peace, but for some reason, Parker wanted to believe differently. Maybe it was the hope that Jarod was thinking of her when it happened, but that would be a selfish wish. The gunshot keeps echoing in her thoughts. How could she have missed it? Her voice has now taken the place of the gun. "Don't leave me Jarod. Please, come back." The words haunt her. They sound so selfish now. As if Jarod had a choice over what happened.  
  
She jerks awake as the gunshot replays, only louder this time; sounding as if somebody slammed a book in a quiet library, she didn't expect it. Parker looks to her left, expecting to see Jarod sleeping there; she shudders out of fear when she realizes it wasn't a dream. He really was shot and he really is in the hospital. She sits against the headboard of her bed and draws her knees close, quietly sobbing at the realization. He may not live to see her again, and his last words to her were 'Answer him Marie.' The smile haunts her as the words stab at her heart.  
  
Her ringing phone brings Marie back to reality. Maybe Jarod woke up and decided to call her. She quickly answers it. "Jarod!"  
  
"Guess again." The voice is haunting, but not for a good reason.  
  
"Daniel." The words barely escape her mouth, barely getting through the clenched teeth.  
  
"Did poor Jarod fall down and go boom?" He chuckles at the comment, enjoying his moment with his prey; known as Marie Parker.  
  
"Listen you twisted son of a bitch, I will track you down. And I will make you pay for what you did." She's pointing at the phone as if Daniel can see her threatening gestures, not realizes it is just a phone and not a camera.  
  
"Well then, I better not leave any clues." He exhales deeply into the phone receiver. "Like Jarod used to."  
  
"Leave him alone. You've already caused enough harm."  
  
"Don't worry. According to my calculations, he won't be on this plane much longer."  
  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"You'll realizes the answers soon enough."  
  
"You're worse than Jarod ever was." Parker sighs out of frustration. This man's games are getting a little annoying.  
  
A chuckle is heard on the other line. "But there is one major difference between me and Jarod."  
  
"Oh yeah? What's that?" She already regrets the question, wishing she could take it back.  
  
"I'm still moving, and he's lying in a hospital bed."  
  
"I'm going to kill you. Next time I see you, you're a dead man." Her response is so cold it scares her; Parker never thought she was capable of such hatred.  
  
"I'll see you soon, sweet cheeks." Daniel whispers into the phone before he hangs up.  
  
Marie just looks at the phone receiver in her hand with intense hatred. She hurls it across the room and watches it shatter against the far wall. "I swear, you're a dead man Daniel." She sighs as the words echo in her head. "One way or another."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Sydney, get Broots. Meet me at the Holy Mercy Hospital." Miss Parker's voice is booming on the other end of the short phone conversation.  
  
Sydney's home phone didn't even ring twice. Once and done. Sydney stares out his kitchen window at the rain sliding down the outside of the windows. There is no wind, no thunder, just lightning and the rain. He can feel the same emotions in Parker's voice. No attitude, no anger, just insight and sadness. The same way she was when he mother died all those years ago. Parker needs his help now more than ever.  
  
"Alright Parker, just don't do anything stupid."  
  
A slight chuckle is heard on the other line. "You know me too well, doc."  
  
The phone shuts off and greets Sydney's ear with the melody of the dial tone. Sydney slowly puts his phone back on the hook as the lightning begins to stop, but the rain continues as strong as ever. With a silent sigh, the older man grabs his coat and car keys, heading out his door to the technician's house. Sydney hopes that Marie will not do anything too drastic and that Daniel will not be there, or Jarod may not be the only one laying in a hospital bed. He quickens his pace to the car as that thought lingers in the back of his mind.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Marie Parker is the first of the three to arrive at the Holy Mercy Hospital, and decides to not wait outside, but rather sit in the waiting room. She looks to her left to see a man smoking what looks to be a cigar, other men have gathered around him. She sees they seem to be encouraging him, but for some unknown reason. A nurse, she looks to be no older that 21, walks over to the group of men and whispers something into the smoker's ear, causing his face to brighten. He jumps to his feet with a look of pure joy.  
  
"I'm going to be a father!" His eyes start to well with tears as he repeats the phrase to himself.  
  
A smile breaks onto Parker's lips as she realizes that such small things have a tremendous impact. Then she remembers why she is here, the man she loves is lying in a bed somewhere in this place. The man she compared all the others to, the one she used as the mold. Compared to him, the others were nothing, all of them except Thomas. He only met Jarod for a limited time, but some of Jarod must have rubbed off. Both Jarod and Tommy knew how to make her feel special, like she was the only thing that mattered in the world. She always felt like nothing bad could ever happen, but something always did. Why is fate such a cruel bitch?  
  
The grin returns at that thought. Here she is, the one person known as the 'Ice Queen' calling fate a bitch. Only a few would get that, and the one that mattered may not ever see her again. Marie buries her face in her hands as tears start to reform. "Oh, Jarod. I need you."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
After a half hour of waiting, Parker realizes that Sydney and Broots are not going to show up. She begins to wonder why, but the thought is quickly banished from her mind as she looks at the receptionist. Slowly ad carefully, Marie leaves the seat she was in and walks to the small glass window encasing the receptionist. Carefully tapping the glass, Parker gets the other woman's attention.  
  
"May I help you Miss?"  
  
Parker tries to smile, but it's no use. "Yes. I have a friend in here, and I would like to see him."  
  
"Okay, just one moment." The woman looks to the computer screen on her left but then back at Parker. "What's his name, please?"  
  
"Uh, he would most likely be admitted under 'John Doe', he never liked to carry identification."  
  
"I see." The clicking of keys can be heard as well as a sigh. "I'm sorry, there is nobody here under that name."  
  
A look of confusion passes over Marie's face as the nurse turns the screen to face her. "Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes I am. We did have a John Doe, but he was identified by his brother."  
  
"His brother?" Jarod's only brothers are either dead or missing. Kyle was killed years ago and they both lost track of Ethan. Who is this 'brother'?  
  
"Yes. A man named Daniel something."  
  
"Brolier."  
  
"Yes, that's his name." The nurse looks at Parker with a stare of mistrust. "How did you know?"  
  
A smile creeps across Parker's lips as she speaks again. "Daniel is an old family friend. What room is his brother in?"  
  
The nurse keeps her eyes locked on Miss Parker as the next question passes through. "What's his name?"  
  
"Jarod St. Brolier."  
  
"He's in room 265. Intensive Care wing, right behind this office."  
  
"Thank you." A forced smile passes through Parker's face as he nods to the receptionist.  
  
Miss Parker turns her back and walks away from the other woman and down the hallways of the Intensive Care wing. She makes mental notes of how similar this wing is to the hallways of the sublevels in the Centre, cold and very minimal lighting. Must be for the safety of the patients, the bright lights might scare them.  
  
"Room 265. I'm here Jarod." She whispers to herself as the door opens.  
  
The image of Jarod hooked up to every machine known to the medical world is enough to send a chill down her spine. Wires and tubes come out of every hole in Jarod's body and torso, even some places where Parker didn't know Jarod had holes. Beeps and whispered ventilations noises accompany the soft symphony music, forming their own twisted mantra. Parker barely makes it to Jarod's side before she collapses to her knees. The twisted music is too much as her sobbing joins the already morbid mantra in the room.  
  
She looks at the man lying above her as tears flow down her cheek. "Look at you, Jarod. Some genius, pretend your way out of this." She tries to smile, but nothing happens. Not even a faint attempt. The tears don't even stop.  
  
"Don't leave me alone Jarod." The beeping seems to follow the rhythm of her tears; a slight smile tugs at the corner of Jarod's cheeks.  
  
"Please don't die." The beeping slows as Parker grabs Jarod's arm.  
  
A long drawn out beep echoes though the room as the symphony ends their piece. A lone violin draws the final note as a crew of nurses and doctors poor into the small room, pulling Parker to the side as they work on Jarod. A nurse forces Parker into the hallway as the doors slam shut, but Parker can still hear the drawn out note of the heart meter.  
  
She slowly slides down the wall of the hallway as the tears continue to fall. The door slowly opens as a doctor walks out with a solemn expression. He steps in front of Parker and quietly kneels next to her.  
  
"We did all that could be done."  
  
All the doctor had to say was 'done.' No other words before it mattered, just that solemn phrase.  
  
"I'm sorry. If it is any consolation, I believe he died a happy man."  
  
The one doctor returns to his feet as the rest of his crew wheel the hospital bed into the hallway. Parker looks up at it to see a body covered with a white sheet, the last time she'll get to see Jarod. Why does fate always treat her like this? The one moment she becomes happy, returns to her childhood, fate steps in. Why? What did she do wrong?  
  
"Jarod." The emotions come flooding back. She sits in the hallway alone, once again, and silently cries herself back to reality. She was alone, and this was her fate. To stay alone.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
She quietly walks to her car as another vehicle pulls up beside her. The window slowly rolls down as the man on the other side looks up.  
  
"Parker." Sydney's voice beckons her.  
  
"Not now Syd." Miss Parker pulls her coat tightly around her. She just wants to be alone.  
  
"Miss P? What happened?" Broots looks at her from the passenger side of the small car.  
  
"Jarod. Jarod's what happened."  
  
"What do you mean?" Sydney's voice has an inquisitive tone.  
  
"HE DIED." Parker finally snaps; she can't take this anymore. Why can't they just leave her alone? She doesn't want to talk.  
  
Silence fills the air as Parker runs her hands though her hair. She silently looks to the ground as Broots stares out the car window towards the hospital. Sydney's gaze doesn't leave Parker; she must be taking it hard.  
  
"I never really thanked him." Broots is the first to break the silence.  
  
Broots' words bring a small smile to Parker's face as she quietly breathes. "There's a lot of things we didn't get to say to him."  
  
"And now it's too late." Sydney's eyes fall to the ground as he begins to roll the window up.  
  
"No Sydney, you're wrong."  
  
The window stops at the halfway point as Sydney looks back at Miss Parker. "What are you getting at?"  
  
"Now it's time to make Daniel pay." Parker's voice is full of emotion; anger, torment, and sadness. This is a vow she intends to keep, until her death.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
That was a week ago, and now Miss Parker is nursing a glass of scotch in front of her fireplace. The red and orange flames dance across the bricks and cast eerie shadows throughout the room. All Marie is focused on is the flame, not the shadows hovering around her, just the only light in the room and it, somehow, reminds her of Jarod. Throughout the darkness in her life, he always had shown through. He was her beacon of light, her signal from the lighthouse. Always warned her of danger and always served as the direction she must go.  
  
Now that light has been extinguished. She throws her scotch glass into the leaping flames, giving them one final leap before their precious air is smothered out. The crackling of the flames is replaced by a more human emotion, the sound of tears and heavy sobs. She doesn't hear the phone ring.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Sydney slowly places his office phone back onto the receiver as he turns to look out his office window. Such a view, so peaceful outside. His mind slowly drifts back to thoughts of Miss Parker. She seems to be taking Jarod's death hard, harder than he is. If he was only able to open her open, get her to talk about the pain. He should take his own advice. Life doesn't seem the same without the phone calls of his "child."  
  
The ringing phone brings him back to reality. He picks it up expecting Jarod, but the voice is one he is not familiar with.  
  
"Jarod?" The psychiatrist hopes and prays.  
  
"Isn't he dead?" The voice almost enjoys saying that.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
Papers can be heard rustling. A laugh can be heard as the other person finds what he was looking for. "I knew it. He IS dead."  
  
"Who the hell are you?" Sydney is starting to get annoyed with this person.  
  
"Patience Sydney. I thought psychiatrists would be more relaxed." A faint chuckle can be heard as the other man prepares to speak again. "My name is Daniel. Daniel St. Brolier."  
  
"You're the one that shot Jarod."  
  
"Please Sydney. I prefer to think of it as the one who KILLED Jarod."  
  
Sydney falls silent. He has nothing to say, nothing that could be said anyway.  
  
"What's the matter Sydney, cat got your tongue?" Daniel waits for a few seconds and then continues. "Good to hear. Tell Marie Parker her father is next on my list. Her phone doesn't seem to be working."  
  
Sydney is finally able to speak again, but Daniel has already hung up his phone. The dial tone taunts the older man before he hangs up the phone. He runs his hands through his white hair before picking the phone up again and dialing Parker's cell phone. "Pick up Parker. Pick up."  
  
"What?" Parker's voice is almost a whisper. She's either drunk, or just stopped crying. Sydney can't tell.  
  
"Parker, listen carefully. Daniel just called me. You're father's life may be in danger, get to Maine as soon as possible." Sydney didn't take the time to breath and towards the end, it could be noticed.  
  
That brought Miss Parker back to reality. "What? That sick asshole is going to kill Ben Miller?"  
  
"Not if you get there first."  
  
"I'm not going to Maine, Sydney."  
  
"But your father may be killed if you don't."  
  
"Not if I get to Daniel before he leaves. Your phone is still hooked up to the Centre's mainframe. Have Broots check the phone logs for the number and address."  
  
The idea hits him. "Of course, the tracking program Broots installed years ago. Consider it done, I'll contact you with the address."  
  
"Thank you Syd." She goes to hang up the phone, but Sydney manages to get the last word in.  
  
"Be careful Parker." A sigh can be heard from Miss Parker, but the conversation ends.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Daniel slowly waltzes around his room as an orchestra plays in the background. He stops in front of a picture of a smiling Marie Parker and pulls it off the wall. He turns to the mirror beside him holding the picture next to his head. He smiles before turning to kiss it and then looks back into the mirror.  
  
"We make such a perfect couple Marie." He breathes a heavy sigh. "It is destiny that we come together."  
  
As the orchestra hits the climax of the piece, he continues to waltz, this time as if he is holding somebody. The picture slowly flutters to the floor as the piece winds to a close. Daniel acts as if he just dipped his partner, pulling her back up and places a tender, passionate kiss onto her invisible lips. As he pulls the figure close, the music screeches to a halt drawing his attention to the record player and the dark shadow standing there.  
  
"Who the hell are you? That record is a masterpiece. How dare you ruin that song."  
  
The shadow starts to walk towards him, but Daniel stands his ground. The figure steps into a partial light, revealing a face Daniel thought he'd never see again. "You don't remember me? You only shot me in the back, Daniel."  
  
"Ja, Jarod?" Daniel's voice shows how confused he is. He shot Jarod, watched him fall.  
  
"I don't know who I am, but I do know you failed to kill me." Jarod's voice seethes with anger, contradicting his calm expression.  
  
"You don't understand. I didn't kill you." Daniels slowly looks around at the pictures on his walls. He looks to the floor and sees the picture of Marie laying face up, smiling at him. He scoops it up and quickly thinks of a lie.  
  
"She did it. This woman is the one that tried to kill you." With his hands shaking, Daniel gives the picture to Jarod.  
  
"Who is this?" Jarod's face slowly twists into a look of confusion.  
  
"Her name is Marie Parker. She was employee by a place called the Centre to kill you." He sighs as the lie becomes more crafted in his mind. "She shot you and left you for dead by an old glass plant. I found you and took you to a hospital, they said you died."  
  
"Why would this 'Centre' want me dead?"  
  
"You found out about the research they do and planned to turn in the evidence."  
  
"What kind of research does this place do?"  
  
Daniel smiles as he realizes Jarod has no memory of the past. "They steal children from families and force them to solve problems. These solutions are then sold to terrorists for money."  
  
Jarod looks at the picture in his hands. "And this woman is trying to kill me?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Jarod looks up to Daniel as his face reverts to a look of anger as he rips the picture in half. "Then I will have to kill her first." The two halves of the picture fall to the ground as Daniel smiles.  
  
"Excellent." Daniel quickly grabs Jarod in a brotherly hug before turning the music back on. He turns back to Jarod as the grin widens. "I have a feeling she knows where this place is. When she comes here, you kill her. Use any means necessary. And remember, it's for the children."  
  
Jarod slowly nods as Daniel leaves the room with the music still playing. Jarod walks around the room looking at all of the pictures, noting the amount that is of the woman. She looks so happy. Why would she kill him? He then sees a picture of that sends a chill down his spine. This Parker woman is sitting with him in a restaurant. The one next to it has a scratched out face next to the same woman, but the one next to it is even worse. The two of them slept together. Why can't he remember any of this?  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Parker's cellphone rings just as she finishes her glass of scotch. Without a second's hesitation, she scoops it up and presses the answer button. "Speak to me Sydney."  
  
"Um, uh. This is Broots." The technician is a little worried, she never answers like that. It's usually 'What,' or once in a great while, 'Yes'. She never completes a sentence.  
  
"Okay, then speak Broots."  
  
"I traced Daniel's phone line." Keys can be heard clicking as Broots brings up the address.  
  
"And?"  
  
"You won't believe where his residence is." Broots' voice is becoming shaky.  
  
"Stop the games Broots. Give me the address."  
  
"8891 Industrial Drive."  
  
"What's so hard to believe about that?"  
  
"Look out your kitchen window."  
  
Parker obeys and looks out her kitchen window. "This better not be a game Broots."  
  
"No game. You see that building sitting on the hill."  
  
"Yeah, I used to watch the neighborhood boys play up there." She looks away from the window and grabs his phone tightly. "Does this have a point? Aside from memory lane."  
  
"Um, yeah. It does."  
  
"Well spit it out already." The Ice Queen has returned; only this time the 'bitch-factor' has increased.  
  
Broots clears his throat before trying to speak again. "Well, that's 8891 Industrial Drive."  
  
"You're kidding me."  
  
"Nope. Believe me, I wish I was."  
  
Marie shuts her phone off as she heads out the back door of her house, heading towards the building.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Parker is standing outside one of the big metal doors as she makes sure her gun is loaded. After a couple of deep breathes, she kicks the door in and sweeps the room. After she is sure there are no other people, she proceeds in and heads down a dark hallway. Marie can hear a soft classical piece playing behind the door at the far end of the hall and she heads towards it, deciding that is where Daniel is. She looks in the small window in the door and notices nobody is there, but bursts into the room anyway. What she sees next makes her stop cold.  
  
"Oh, my god." She slowly turns around the room and notices all of the pictures covering every piece of every wall.  
  
Parker walks up to one of the walls and pulls a picture off, but she drops it to the floor upon noticing the eyes are burned out. She takes a second picture off the wall and notices her head is repeatedly circled while Jarod's is scratched out. Just seeing his figure brings the pain back. It doesn't last long as she notices a revolting picture, one of her and Jarod sleeping together. Only Jarod's head is replaced by a picture of Daniel's. She rips the picture in half and throws it to the ground. Then she hears a click.  
  
Marie spins on her heels with the gun drawn, pointing in the direction of the noise. "Come on out Daniel. It's time we finish this twisted game."  
  
She notices the figure is not stepping out of the shadows and pulls the hammer back on her gun. "What, are you deaf? Get your ass out here now."  
  
"So you've finally come to finish the job." The man steps out of the shadows, but it isn't Daniel. Jarod's face is etched with anger as he points a gun at her.  
  
"Jarod?" Parker can't believe her eyes. "But, I, I, saw you die."  
  
"No. You LEFT me for dead." Pain reflects in Jarod's eyes as his emotions take over. "You shot me. Then you left me for dead. Why?"  
  
Marie can't believe what she is hearing. The love of her life is alive, but he blames her for the gunshot.  
  
"Tell me why." Jarod walks closer to Miss Parker, but keeps the gun pointed at her head. "Tell me why you're trying to kill me. What does the 'Centre' want with me?"  
  
Parker shakes her head in disbelief. Jarod is now living in the past, he's completely forgotten about what they did to the Centre. "Jarod, the Centre is dead."  
  
"LIES!" Jarod yells at the top of his lungs, causing Parker to jump backwards. Jarod places both hands on the gun as if he is preparing to shoot her. "Tell me the truth. Or I will kill you."  
  
"Jarod, put the gun down." Marie is genuinely scared for her life right now. She realizes Jarod knows nothing of his past, which means he may be more violent now than ever before.  
  
"First you tell me the truth."  
  
She raises her own gun and points it at Jarod. "Either you put the gun down, or I'll make you put it down."  
  
A harsh chuckle leaves Jarod. "You shot me, you die too."  
  
"It's a small price to pay. Just put it down."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Daniel is watching the two former lovers face off, from the safety of a room with a one-way mirror. He can't believe his luck, killing two birds has never been easier. All he has to do now is make sure the survivor dies, which is why he has a shotgun sitting next to him. He carefully picks the loaded gun up and rubs the cold metal, smiling as he looks over it. His attention goes back to Marie and Jarod as he inhales deeply.  
  
"This is too good to be true." He chuckles as both Parker and Jarod are pointing guns at each other. "Who's going to flinch first?"  
  
Daniel sighs as he leans back in his chair, sipping a can of beer.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
TBC Read and Rate . . . please? 


	6. Failed Redemption

Omega Web: Failed Redemption by JayVitolo  
  
Disclaimer: I'm using the Pretender characters without permission. Please don't sue me.  
  
Author notes: This one chapter took FOREVER to write. I started out on schedule, and then I hit a wall.brick by damn brick. Before I knew it, finals week hit and I had to place this story on the backburner. It became my goal to get this damn thing finished by Christmas.so here you go. It may be a little anti-climatic, but hey.it's done ain't it?  
  
Lighter note: I want to thank everybody that read "Riddle of the Flesh." Extra thanks to those that gave me feedback in one form or another. Without you people reading my work, there would be no fun in any of this. Once again, thank you all. Enjoy the final chapter of Omega Web. This story was a trip to write.  
  
***---***  
  
"I don't want to have to shot you Jarod." Marie Parker stares down the front of her handgun as she pulls the hammer back. "But I will to get to Daniel."  
  
"Then you better pull the trigger." His eyes are locked on Marie's. "Because I will not let you take me away. And I promise I will not miss."  
  
***---***  
  
In a separate room, Daniel watches the former lovers locked in their quarrel. A sinister smile crosses his face as he hears the exchange of threats. This is the jackpot he was waiting for, soon the two will open fire and one will fall. Then he steps in. If Marie lives, their love was meant to be. But if Jarod lives, he will be put out of his misery. But not until he is made aware of what he has done.  
  
Daniel leans back in his chair and stares though the mirrored window in front of him. "Ring around the rosy, pocket full of posies." He grabs an open beer and takes a sip before setting it on the chair's arm rest.  
  
"Ashes, ashes." Daniel pulls a cigarette out of a pack resting next to him. After placing it in his mouth, he lights it without diverting his eyes from the conflict in front of him.  
  
He knocks the beer can off the armrest as he leans closer to the window. "We all fall down." The grin on his face widens as Marie Parker and Jarod are still staring each other down.  
  
***---***  
  
Sydney is pacing behind Broots with a look of fear and confusion on his face. One hand is in a vest pocket while the other seems to be holding his head off the floor. Beeping and clicking accompany Sydney's lone march, almost like a soundtrack. He stops and grabs Broots' shoulders, causing the tech to have a near fatal heart attack.  
  
A loud, hollow thunk is heard as Broots' knees strike the underneath of his desk. "HOLY GOD!" The lone technician quickly looks over his shoulder at the surprised psychiatrist standing behind him. "Don't do that Sydney. I'm paranoid enough."  
  
"Sorry Broots. It's just that..." The psychiatrist trails off as he falls deep into thought.  
  
"You're wondering what happened to Miss Parker."  
  
Sydney nods in recognition as a sigh escapes his throat. He rubs his throat as he begins to pace again as Broots goes back to typing away on his keyboard. "Have you tried calling her?"  
  
"Yes. Over and over." Broots' eyes have yet to leave the screen since he started typing again. He stops typing as something captures his eye. "She won't answer her phone."  
  
"What have you found Broots?" Sydney stops walking and stands beside the computer tech, both staring into the screen.  
  
"Daniel seems to be posting pictures."  
  
"Many people do that Broots. What's so important about these ones?"  
  
Broots clicks on one of the thumbnails of the pictures to enlarge it. As the computer loads the picture, he turns to look Sydney in the face. The picture dominates the screen as Sydney's eyes widen. "Because this last one is of Miss Parker and Jarod."  
  
Sydney picks up where Broots stopped. "And they're pointing guns at each other." He looks down to the technician. "We need to get there. Only problem is where 'there' is."  
  
"Already solved."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"8891 Industrial Drive."  
  
Sydney is already halfway through the door before Broots ends his sentence. "Then let's move."  
  
***---***  
  
"How can you believe that psycho?"  
  
"Why would he lie to me?" Jarod's gun drops slightly, but his eyes still betray his anger. "Daniel has nothing to lose."  
  
"Look around you Jarod. Look at all these pictures of us." Marie steps towards Jarod, but does not lower her gun. "Why can't you remember us?"  
  
"That was all a lie. Daniel told me." Jarod jerks the gun back up to Marie, causing her to stop in her tracks. She visibly sighs at Jarod's attitude.  
  
Against her better judgment, Parker decides to place the safety on her gun and drops it to the ground. "Fine." Marie locks her eyes onto Jarod's. "If you're going to shoot me, then shoot me." She kicks the gun to Jarod's feet. "But I refuse to shoot you."  
  
Jarod looks at the gun as it strikes his foot and leans to the ground to grab it. As he touches the gun, he looks back to Marie's face and sees the sorrow in her eyes. Something clicks in his mind and it becomes visible on his face.  
  
***---***  
  
"No, no, no!" Daniel jumps out of his chair at the sight of Parker dropping her gun to the floor. "That's not what you're supposed to do!"  
  
He throws his cigarette to the ground and leans against the mirrored glass. Daniel's face is pressed against it, but the picture is still playing out the same. His plan is vanishing before his eyes, and he's powerless to stop it. That is unless he does something drastic, of course. Daniel's eyes slowly work their way over to the shotgun resting in the corner. The thought plays in his head as he picks it up.  
  
"One way or another. You both WILL die." He loads the shotgun as Jarod looks at Marie's gun on the ground.  
  
***---***  
  
Jarod slowly works his way back to his feet as his eyes are locked into Marie's. For some reason, he gets the feeling this woman is NOT trying to kill him, and Daniel lied about it. But why? Then his answer comes in the form of a shattered light. A shotgun blast goes off, causing Marie and Jarod to jump backward.  
  
The sound is followed by Daniel's voice. "All I really wanted was to be happy. And the both of you come along to screw it up." He loads the shotgun once again."  
  
Daniel swings the gun around and points it at Marie. "Why could you just accept me for who I am?" When she doesn't answer, he shoots the wall collage next to her.  
  
After reloading the gun, he brings it around to face Jarod. "You just had to ruin my life. I was perfectly fine until you showed up. All you had to do to repay me was to kill the woman that made your life hell for the last seven years." He shoots the ground in front of Jarod's foot as he slowly advances.  
  
Jarod's eyes are locked onto the twisted face of Daniel. So much emotion is being displayed, yet there is so much fear in his eyes. Jarod almost feels sympathy for him, as if Daniel seriously didn't want this to happen, almost like it was all a fluke. As Daniel inches closer to him, Jarod's sympathy slowly drains away and becomes replaced by anger over how he was used.  
  
Jarod's face is now twisted into a look of anger. "You wanted me to kill Marie. Why?"  
  
Daniel slowly grins as he places the barrel of the shotgun against Jarod's chest. "Because if I can't have her, nobody will."  
  
***---***  
  
The car that Sydney and Broots were traveling in screeches to a stop outside an old industrial building. Sydney swings his door open, while Broots slowly opens his, and hurries over to the huge metal door while checking his gun. Broots timidly follows and pulls his coat tightly around him. Sydney manages to kick the door open and is inside before Broots even makes it over to him.  
  
Elsewhere in the building, the group of three hears the loud bang of the door, causing mixed emotions in each. Marie is happy because she thinks it must be Sydney and Broots. Jarod is confused because of the two conflicting stories and this new element may add to it. Daniel is concerned because he never anticipated this; he never thought anybody would find this place.  
  
Daniel has a habit of not showing his true feelings. "Well, it appears we have company. I should leave so the lot of you can get better acquainted."  
  
Unfortunately for Daniel, Marie shows all emotions when she feels like it. She quickly scoops one of the guns off the floor and brings it around to face Daniel. "Not so fast."  
  
Before Parker even gets a chance to think about what she is doing, the gun discharges. Everything seems to hit the slow motion you hear about during bad times. Her eyes involuntarily close as the shot echoes in her ears and the bullet casing strikes the floor. She is completely unaware that Daniel has been shot in the leg. Time resumes the usual pace.  
  
The hollow thump of a human body striking the floor causes Marie to open her eyes again, but the sight of Daniel on the ground causes her to shudder. She can feel Jarod's arms around her, helping her to regain composure as she looks at the body of Daniel. He pulls her close as she instinctively wraps around him, comfortable in his arms. Jarod and Marie run into Sydney and Broots as they leave the small room.  
  
"Miss Parker! You're alive!" Broots is ecstatic at the sight before his eyes. "Although you have looked better."  
  
"Shut up Broots." Parker doesn't even make eye contact as she and Jarod brush past them.  
  
"Where's Daniel?" Sydney starts to look around him trying to find any traces of the man.  
  
Parker manages to stand on her own as Jarod let her go. She turns to face Sydney as her hand paces through her hair. "He's in the next room. It's the one with pictures everywhere."  
  
Broots and Sydney both enter the adjacent room as Marie turns to Jarod. A grin passes her lips. "Okay lab rat, I have two question for you."  
  
"Bring them on. Ice Queen." Jarod teases her, knowing she'll get the hidden meaning.  
  
"Number one. How did you fake your death?"  
  
A broad smile hits Jarod's face as he puts his hands in his pocket. "It's amazing what you can do when a doctor owes you a favor. Figured if you though I was dead, you'd finally act on your emotions."  
  
Marie's face looks to be slightly hurt as she thinks about it. "You put me through that hell, just to make me DO something?"  
  
"Correct." Jarod winks at her before he grabs her in an embrace.  
  
Marie pulls away enough to look Jarod in the eyes. "Now for the second question. Were you really going to shoot me?"  
  
Jarod kisses her before answering. "Come on Marie. You know what I am, I'm a pretender. I can be anything I want to be, and then turn back into myself. If I wanted to kill you, I would have a long time ago."  
  
Marie places her head into his chest as she sighs. "That's what I thought."  
  
Jarod rubs his hand across her back as Sydney and Broots reenter the main hallway. Broots' eyes never leave the floor as Sydney has a puzzled look on his face. His eyes meet with Jarod's allowing Jarod to feel his mentor's confusion, but Jarod has no idea what the source is. Parker notices this and looks back at the psychiatrist.  
  
"What's wrong Syd?"  
  
The older man sighs as he straightens his shirt collar. "Daniel's body wasn't there."  
  
Parker can't believe what she heard. "Excuse me? I shot him, I saw him fall. What do you mean his body isn't there?"  
  
"I believe he means you didn't kill me." Daniel walks out of the shadow behind Broots and quickly grabs him, placing a gun to his temple. "Now if you don't want to see a new floral pattern on my walls, get the hell out of my way."  
  
"Why don't you crawl under a rock and die?" Marie has fully given in to the Ice Queen.  
  
"Only if you follow me." Daniel spits the venom back at Marie. "You see, when this began, I found you invigorating. You were what I always wanted." Daniel smiles as he inches closer to Marie and Jarod, all the while pushing the gun barrel deeper into Broots' temple. "Now I see it's all a façade, a ruse, a mask. You aren't who you pretend to be." He pulls the gun away from Broots and points it at Jarod. "Just like your boyfriend."  
  
Broots takes this moment to do something out of character. So out of character, in fact, that it catches everybody by surprise. With all of his might, he slams the heel of his left foot onto the big toe of Daniel's matching foot. The impact is enough to shatter the toe and cause the man to howl in pain, dropping the gun he held. More importantly, he lets go of the man he held captive, Broots the technician.  
  
Almost on queue, Sydney and Marie each unload two shots into Daniel's chest. Like a puppet without strings, Daniel falls to the floor with no grace or fluid motion. He makes one last attempt to claim Marie as his own by grabbing at her shoes, but she simply kicks his hand away. Broots slowly climbs to his feet staring at Daniel's body but smiles once he realizes he didn't die.  
  
Sydney looks at Marie and the two lock eyes. She is the first one to speak, but a tear starts to form. "It's finally over, Syd." She looks down at Daniel's still bleeding body. "It's finally over."  
  
Sydney and Broots walk past Marie and Jarod as they leave the building. Before passing through the door, Broots casts one final look over his shoulder at Daniel and then looks back at the road outside. "Is it always this hard Syd?"  
  
The psychiatrist looks down at the gun he never thought he'd use again. "It never gets easier. It just happens quicker."  
  
Jarod and Marie are the next two to leave. Marie slowly looks at Jarod beside her and rests her head on his shoulder. "Promise me, next time you'll be saving me."  
  
"Only if you give me the chance."  
  
***---***  
  
In the adjacent room, a video camera zooms in on the dead body of Daniel and then sweeps up to watch Jarod and Marie leave the room. The camera zooms in on their backs and watches them until they leave, allowing the sun to flood the lens. The camera slowly looks back at Daniel and then quietly shuts off.  
  
***---***  
  
In a remote part of Morocco, a small group is watching the camera's feedback on a large screen. The room is dark except for small lamps on the desk and red glows of lit cigarettes, pipes, and cigars. The camera cuts to the final view of Daniel's body before one of the members in the room speaks.  
  
"It is quite unfortunate that another one of our 'projects' has failed." The man clears his throat before speaking again. "I am beginning to tire of these failures."  
  
Another member speaks; this one is standing in the only lit part of the room and is noticeably European in appearance. "Do not worry. This time we will not fail."  
  
A low gruff voice answers his statement. "For your sake, Viktor, this new group better not fail. The Triumvirate will not tolerate further disappointments."  
  
"Have no fear, I am fully versed in the Scrolls. I pledge my life, to assure you the 'Word of Blake,' the man who wrote the scrolls himself, will bring you the pretender."  
  
"See that it is done."  
  
The European turns on his heels and exits the room as the footage of Daniel's death plays again. The first man speaks again. "Unacceptable."  
  
***---***  
  
Jarod, Sydney, Broots, and Marie are sitting in her office recuperating from their final conflict with Daniel St. Brolier. Parker is leaning back in her chair while each of the men is staring at a given thing. Broots is once again fascinated with the marble tiles, Jarod is staring at a picture on the far wall, and Sydney is deep in thought.  
  
Parker is the first to break the silence. She lets the chair fall to the floor as she leans forward on her desk. "Do you boys think this whole thing is over?"  
  
Jarod sighs as he looks at the other members of the room and then down to the floor tile in front of him. "I guess we'll find out tomorrow." His twisted reflection looks back at him with an air of sympathy.  
  
Broots and Sydney lock glances as Marie turns to look out her window. It starts to rain as lighting lights to sky. She doesn't break her concentration as she quietly responds to Jarod's words. "I guess so."  
  
*~ F I N ~*  
  
Stay tuned for "Sphere of Influence." Please Read and Rate. 


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